I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a greeting card dispensing apparatus and method which gives a customer the capability to simultaneously design a personalized greeting card and include with it an associated gift. The gifts can include such items as a limited amount of toll free calling and/or telephone line access to other items of value, such as congratulatory songs or messages, non-downloadable animated messages, authorization for playing a telephone game contest, or access to downloadable software. For the card recipient to access the telephone lines to receive the prepaid gifts, a toll free 1-800 access number and an identifying PIN number can be printed on the card. A stand alone interactive kiosk is provided for designing, accepting payment for and printing the gift cards. As alternatives, terminals remotely accessible by personal computers with modems and/or interactive television can be provided so that gift cards can be remotely designed, gift types and amounts selected and payment remitted "on line". Such remotely designed and selected greeting cards and gifts can be printed on card stock and mailed or can be electronically created and electronically mailed to a recipient. As a 10 further alternative, an in-store terminal can be provided for use by a customer in designing custom greeting cards and selecting associated gifts, with the cards and gifts remotely printed behind a retail counter for purchase by the customer.
II. Description of the Related Art
The greeting card business in the United States has evolved into a $5+ billion per year industry. Most greeting cards are still produced by manufacturing concerns as generic cards marketed through retail stores. However, a growing number of greeting cards are produced by specialized vending machines or kiosks which permit the customer to, at least partially, personalize the cards. The personalization available at these vending kiosks can run all the way from merely typesetting the names of sender and receiver to writing verses, selecting and/or modifying pictures, colors, sizes, etc. Hallmark Cards, Inc. of Kansas City, Mo., has many of these kiosks in operation under the "Personalize it " logo, while American Greetings Corp. has a number of operating kiosks under the "CreataCard" logo. The CreataCard kiosks allow great personalizing flexibility since they actually use a plotter pen to write personalized messages and draw any of a number of selected pictures, and Hallmark is test marketing a similar, more versatile kiosk as well. Some industry sources estimate the personalized greeting card business will grow to be a $200+ million dollar industry within five years.
It is no accident that most retail sales outlets for traditional greeting cards are also gift shops as well. It is customary to give a gift on many occasions along with a greeting card, e.g. birthdays, weddings, graduations, etc. Thus, particularly with today's hectic life style, it is more convenient to purchase the gift at the same time and in the same store as the greeting card, or vice versa. By contrast, with the increasing sophistication of the personalized card kiosks, they are now being placed in stand-alone locations in shopping malls, grocery stores, and even airports, etc., where it may not be convenient or even possible to simultaneously purchase a gift as well.
Furthermore, many people, due to work or time constraints, physical disabilities, etc., are unable or unwilling to physically visit retail facilities to access such stand-alone kiosks. For such people, obtaining and sending both greeting cards and gifts is even more problematical.
It would be desirable with such personalized greeting card kiosks for the customer to be able to simultaneously purchase a gift along with the personalized card. Such gifts must be capable of being electronically vended by the same kiosk, including, preferably the same card printer. Furthermore, it would be desirable if the gifts themselves, or a receipt evidencing the gifts, could be printed on the personalized card itself. For persons without the ability to physically visit such retail kiosks, on-line computer or interactive television access to such a custom greeting card and gift dispensary would be desirable.